Summer Financial Aid

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Summer Eligibility

At Chicago-Kent College, the summer semester is the trailing/ending term of the current academic year. Therefore, in order to obtain federal financial aid for summer, you must have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the academic year that includes the preceding fall and spring semesters. You may complete your FAFSA here.

You must be registered for at least three credit hours (which is considered half-time for the summer term) to be considered for summer federal financial aid, as long as the class/classes you are enrolling in are applicable to your degree. Once you are registered for at least three credit-hours, you will automatically be considered for financial aid. 

Summer Awarding

Students receive a Cost of Attendance specifically for the three-month summer semester. As with the standard academic year Cost of Attendance, the summer Cost of Attendance includes the budget components of tuition and fees, room and board, books, transportation and miscellaneous/personal expenses, but for the 3-month term.

We will begin emailing financial aid award notifications to eligible students a couple weeks after summer registration opens. This email will direct you to the Illinois Tech Portal to view your summer financial aid award package. 

If your maximum Federal Unsubsidized Loan eligibility amount was exhausted during the fall and spring semesters, you will be offered the Graduate PLUS Loan up to your maximum summer Cost of Attendance. Once you review your financial aid award(s), you may accept all or a portion of the award(s) offered. Upon acceptance of your award(s), our office will process your federal student loan award amount(s) on your behalf under your current Loan Agreement or Master Promissory Note.

If there is any missing required documentation necessary for the processing of your summer financial aid, you will be notified by email.

Summer Chicago-Kent Scholarships

If you enroll in Summer Session courses, your Chicago-Kent scholarship will automatically be applied to your financial aid award at the rate of $1500 per course unless you email us to opt-out of receiving a portion of your scholarship for the summer term. If you do not opt-out of receiving a portion of your Chicago-Kent Scholarship for summer, the amount that is credited to your student account for summer will then be deducted from the subsequent year's total scholarship amount. In addition:

  • Your summer federal student loan(s) will be reduced by the same amount you are awarded in scholarship funds for the summer term.
  • Your subsequent academic year’s federal student loan(s) will be revised to allow for the scholarship reduction for the academic year due to summer allotment.

Summer Disbursements

You should receive your summer financial aid disbursement(s) approximately 10 days before the start of classes, as long as you have satisfied all required documentation and your financial aid file for summer is complete. Our office will verify your enrollment and eligibility before the funds can be credited to your tuition account. This process may take approximately 1–3 days beyond the scheduled disbursement date. 

If you have a credit balance after your tuition and fees (billable expenses) are paid, you will receive a refund. **Please contact the Student Accounting Office at sa@iit.edu or at 312.567.3794 for an estimated timeline of your refund. 

** Summer Start Students **

Students who begin their studies at Chicago-Kent in the summer semester (Summer Starts) must complete the appropriate FAFSA. If you attended a different institution for the fall and spring semester(s) and you are admitted to Chicago-Kent College for the summer semester, please be sure you have the Chicago-Kent school code of E00773 listed on the FAFSA so we may obtain your information. If our school code is not on that current academic year's FAFSA, you must add it. If you have NOT attended a different institution for preceding semesters, you must complete the FAFSA for the current academic year, being mindful that the summer semester is the trailing/ending term of the current academic year, AND you must also complete a FAFSA for the subsequent academic year beginning in the fall.

If you are a Summer Start student and borrowing summer federal student loans for the first time at Chicago-Kent, you must complete a Loan Agreement or Master Promissory Note (MPN) for both your Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan (if awarded) and/or your Federal Graduate PLUS Loan (if awarded). You may complete the Loan Agreement(s) by visiting the following link: studentaid.gov/mpn/

Less Than Half-Time Status

If you are registered less than half-time for the summer term (less than three credits), you are ineligible for federal loans. You will not be offered an award if you are registered less than half-time. You may apply for a private loan on your own if you wish or make payment arrangements with the Student Accounting Office. Some lenders offer private loans to students that are in less than half-time status during the summer term. In order to receive a private loan, you must apply for the loan directly with the lender of your choice and inform our office in writing via email that it is your intention to use a private loan for summer term. Private loans are not automatically renewed. To apply for a private loan online with the lender of your choice, please visit our website for private loan information.